1. Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to a method of pre-treating and saccharifying an algae biomass, a method of producing biofuel using monosaccharide obtained by the method, and technology associated with algae biomass pre-treating and a saccharifying apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
With globally increasing concern about exhaustion of resources and pollution of the environment due to overuse of fossil fuels, the development of novel and renewable alternative energy sources that stably and continuously produce energy is of paramount importance. As a part of the development of such alternative energies, technology for producing energy from biomass has been attracting considerable attention.
Today, first generation biofuels using saccharides such as sugar cane or starches such as corn are being produced. However, these strategies face the problems of competition from food and livestock feed, and saturation of agricultural land. For these reasons, second generation biofuels using lignocellulose, which comes from wood and is considered to be the most abundant, rich and renewable resource in the world, are being developed. However, lignocellulose is a complex of lignin, which is a non-degradable aromatic polymer, and cellulose and hemicellulose, which are carbohydrates. Thus, lignocellulose needs to be pre-treated to remove the lignin from the carbohydrates, which is complicated and relatively costly.
More recently, the development of biofuels using algae has begun. Since algae have the advantages of rapid growth, ease of mass-culturing and high absorption (consumption) of carbon dioxide, it is considered to be an appropriate and novel energy source. Since algae is less dense than lignin, it is more easily saccharified than biomass used for first and second generation biofuels, and can also be produced on a large scale. In addition, because relatively abundant marine resources can be utilized, there is great potential.